Improvement in knitting-machine burrs



NITE STATES PATENT trier...

IMPROVEMENT IN KNITTING-MACHINE BURRS.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 38,997, dated June 23, 1863; antedated February 16, 1863.

To all whom it may concern.-

Beit known that I, MINER VAN AUKEN, of Amsterdam, in the county of Montgomery and State of New York, have invented a new and Improved Lubricator for Knitting-Burrs 5 and I do hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and exact description of the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, and to the letters of reference marked thereon, in which- Figure 1 is a diametrical section through the improved lubricator when the same is applied to a common knitting-burr. Fig. 2 is a top view of the knitting-burr. Fig. 3is an enlarged View of a part of Fig. 1. Figs. 4 and 5 show in detail the stud extended to the top of the burr-box.

Similar letters of reference indicate corresponding parts in the three figures.

My invention consists in an improvement in circular-knitting burrs, whereby they are adapted to act as their own lubricator by reason of the rotary motion obtained in them through the agency of the burr-teeth and the knitting needles. Circular-knitting burrs, in consequence of the peculiar work they perform, together with their exposed location in the machine, catch a great deal of dust and light fibrous particles of matter, which fly from the knitted fabric, and have hitherto required great care and attention, besides frequent cleaning to keep them in a condition to be safely used, as respects the needles and the material of which the fabric is being knitted.

The adaptation which I have effected consists in arranging the burr-teeth on a hollow circular stock, approximating in form to an oblate sphcroid, said stock having a central studbox extending from its tip to below its base, and which is closed at top and open at bottom, and also perforated sidewise at one or more points so as to communicate with the chamber of the stock and with other points, if desired. I also have adapted the stud of the knitting-burr by means of I a circular channel, and a drip-cup for operating, in connection with the improved lubricating stock, all as hereinafter described.

To enable those skilled in the art to make and use my invention, I will proceed to describe its construction and operation.

A represents a double convex circular box,

forming the oil-chamber, which is armed around its circumference with the usual takeoff burr-teeth a, common in circular knitting machinery for throwing the loops off the except at the points 12 and e, which are small perforations, one or more being used for admitting the oil which is put into chamber A to escape slowly through the central tube, B, for lubricating the stud O, as shown in Fig. 1

of the drawings. The tube B, which is concentric with the axis of the oil-chamber A, is brazed or otherwise secured to the walls of this chamber; and this tube B projects from the bottom of the oil-chamber A sufficiently far to fit into a cup, D, which is fixed to the arm that holds the stud O, and as the top of the cup D does not fit closely up against the bottom of the chamber A, a small space is thus left for the overflow of waste oil from this cup. The chamber A is supplied with oil through the orifice c in the crown of this chamber, or any other place communicating with the chamber, which orifice is closed tightly by means of the screw 0 after the chamber is thus supplied. The crown-wall of chamber A is stepped on the end of the stationary stud c in any suitable manner, and the burr caused to have a free rotary motion by the action of the knitting-needles upon the burr teeth a a. In the ordinary knittingburr, the end or top being open, dust and waste from the knitted fabric get into the bearings and obstruct the easy motion of the burr, and often,by a few minutes delay in reoiling, the burr from this cause is stopped, as it creates friction and heat, and the needles of the knitting-machine are consequently broken, while by my improvementviz. keeping the stud 0 within an air-tight oil-chamberI effectually prevent anything coming in contact with the stud except pure oil. The oilchamber being supplied with pure lubricatingoil, the oil remainspure, and as said chamber is air-tight the oil is prevented from wasting too fast. Then the forces, centripetal and centrifugal, by their tendency to hold the oil in suspension, prevent too great a pressure when the oil-chamber A is full. These forces, however, do not prevent a thorough lubrication, as the oil is always in contact with the stud (J by means of the passages 12 or 0 unless it has been wholy exhausted from the chamber. By my arrangement all valves are rendered useless, and it matters not how often the machine is stopped per day, the oiling will be kept up, as the fluid is pure and the head of pressure. in the chamber will secure or cause the oil to flow slowly down the stud. Thus we have the centrifugal force to overcome too rapid flow, centripetal force to insure a proper supply, and gravity to insure the oiling when the burr stops fora moment or a short period. Where itis found desirable to extend the stud through or into the crown of the oil-chamber A, this can be done by means of a nut, g, as shown in Fig. 4, or by the modification of this, which is shown in Fig. 5, 9 being the nut in this instance. In both figures it will be seen by reference to the drawings, Figs. 4 and 5, that the nuts have their edges beveled downward, and that they fit into corresponding depressions which are made in the wall of the oilchamber. This arrangement gives an end bearin g to a shaft or journal, and at the same time keeps out all impurities from the oil'chamher. But where the stud, as in the case of Figs. 1, 2, and 3, is not intended to pass through the box or wall of chamber A, this wall can be made solid or unbroken, except at the point 0, through which the chamber is supplied with oil. If desired, a relubricatin g orifice may be made through the tube B at '5, thus forming a communication between the oil-cup D and the stud O. Ialso attach,when required, the oil-cup K, Fig. 1, to catch the waste oil and prevent it from dropping on the machine beneath. This oilcup may be made of concave or any other form, and the bottom of stud pass through it, fitting oil-tight, or may be a simple cup set beneath the arm of stud.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

The combination, in a knitting-burr, of the hollow stock A and stud-box B, with one or more passages through its side, substantially in the manner and for the purpose described.

MINER VAN AUKEN.

Witnesses (J. PHILLIPS, P. POWELL. 

